Henry Cavill and Rosemary Water: a flourishing partnership

Henry Cavill is the new investor of No.1 Rosemary Water, a pioneer beverage brand that produces drinks from pure rosemary compounds.

We had the pleasure to interview Leena Patel, Marketing Director of No.1 Rosemary Water.

⁃ Once all the properties in the rosemary were discovered, how did you come to the final decision of turning it into a beverage?

To chew rosemary and to include it in every meal seemed impossible never mind unpleasant! Imagine being in a meeting chomping a rosemary sprig…no, it wouldn’t do! David Spencer-Percival set about infusing it with water, to find out that this would not be the same as consuming it. He read countless journals and came to the conclusion that he would need to extract the combination compounds that the Acciarolian’s were consuming to ensure he captured the benefits. It made sense to add the extract to spring water as the second most vital thing to nutrients is to remain hydrated.

⁃ What were the criteria used upon the selection of the other plants in the No.1 Botanicals drinks collection?

All of the botanicals must have unique health benefits and indeed they all do. However, to eat something just because it is good for you is half the battle, we wanted pleasant and intriguing flavours too. We were presented with almost numerous unique herbs and from this we managed to pick 9 other flavours that had unique and strong benefits as well as tasting delicious.

⁃ How do you conciliate sustainability with the high-end technology employed on the creation process of the drinks?

The high-end technology that we use is extraction and this does not leave a large carbon footprint. We use a syndicate of over 250 fair-trade farmers, our production process is incredibly lean as is our distribution network. We locally employ and we locally produce the drink. More importantly we are a glass bottle, something we pride ourselves on being. Glass is incredibly expensive and although we have been advised on numerous occasions to switch to plastic, we will not compromise our ethics. We’re not saints, but we do our best and everyday we try and improve the way we’re doing it.

⁃ What would be the recommended daily intake should a person wish to benefit the most from the properties of No.1 Rosemary Water?

We recommend one 330ml bottle a day. That’s the equivalent of consuming one whole sprig of rosemary. Our 60ml Shots, however, went through clinical trials run by Professor Mark Moss. The study shows that No1 Rosemary Water Shots increased memory and cognitive function by almost 15%. Mark Moss likens the affect to ‘a turbo-charger’ to the brain.

⁃ How do you plan to expand the brand globally and make it recognised worldwide?

It’s been difficult. The story is complicated and now the Botanical Range offers 9 other stories to tell. We want to educate not just tell people to buy something because it tastes good and it’s good for you, who would believe us? This is why we chose to run the trials and partner with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Our plan to expand in other markets has to be quite strategic because educating customers through press and advertising is incredibly expensive. With every launch we do we want to make sure we offering the same quality as we do here in the UK. So to answer your question, we’ll concentrate on three key markets, supporting it with press and advertising, social media and in country events. We’ll try and get involved with local ambassadors and ensure everything we do is culturally valuable.

⁃ Are there any plans to target the Brazilian market?

Not as yet, each market requires a lot of investment! We are currently crowdfunding so you can become an investor. The investment we raise from this will help expand our export arm.

⁃ Could you tell us more about the partnership with Henry Cavill?

Henry Cavill has come on board as a fully fledged shareholder and sits amongst a prestigious board of investors. He will be notified of the performance of Rosemary Water ltd and included in any relevant strategic decisions. We value Henry’s opinion, naturally his forte is creative and so we hope to do some work with him in the coming months. I can’t divulge more…rosemary has some secrets after all. Our partnership with Henry has no caveats, he is not tied to advertising or media, we want everything he does to be authentic, influenced by his own personal feelings and flair. We look forward to working together on what promises to be a very enlightening journey!

A bit more on Rosemary Water

How it all started

The inspiration for the beverages came all the way from Italy, more precisely from the sunny hamlet of Acciaroli.

At least one in ten people that live there has passed the age of 100, and free of the many health issues that affect other countries. One of the determining factors for this longevity is the constant usage of rosemary in the diet of Acciaroli locals. This fact was made public internationally by several means of communications such as the BBC, The Telegraph and The New York Times. In September 2016, those news caught the attention of the founder and CEO of No.1 Rosemary Water: David Spencer-Percival.

David and his wife Bonita travelled to Acciaroli and were fascinated by the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties found in rosemary. On that moment, he decided he was going to be the first person ever to incorporate rosemary to his diet as a drink.

The mighty rosemary

Before we talk about the production process of the beverage, we need to go through the properties of rosemary.

This Mediterranean herb is daily consumed in the most exquisite dishes worldwide. The use of rosemary as a medicinal herb can be tracked all the way back to Ancient Greece and its myths, the New Testament and even in a Shakespearian play. Rosemary was then used to relieve muscular pains, improve memory and hair growth, and for better performance of the immune and circulatory systems.

In culinary, it’s used to season white meats, such as pork and chicken, due to its citric and woody flavour.

On the 14th century, the production of rosemary oil started, as this was essential for the making of the extremely popular “Queen of Hungary’s Water”, one of the first alcohol-based perfumes in Europe. Later on the 16th and 17th centuries, rosemary had its digestive properties unveiled.

Rosemary and spearmint belong to the same family (Lamiaceae) and can be consumed as a tea, a powder, an oil, dried out or in its natural form. Moreover, it contains important properties for the health and well-being, and is a source of iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and vitamin B-6.

Among the main properties of rosemary are:

1- Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties (it neutralises the free radicals, preventing early ageing of the skin and growth of cancerous cells);

2- Detoxifying properties (as a natural diuretic, it helps the body to expell pathogens, salts, toxins and even extra fat);

All of the above are proof that rosemary is a superstar when it comes to disease prevention.

The production process of No.1 Rosemary Water

The extraction process is not as simple as adding a sprig of rosemary to water. More information on this complex production process can be found on their website (Rosemary Water)

“No1 Rosemary Water is ethically created with totally traceable ingredients and bottled within the highest standards. The drink contains pure natural rosemary extract, which concentrates the plant’s essential properties. We use natural spring water (pH 7.5 alkaline) sourced within the UK. We’ve found a sustainable source of rosemary that’s just 40 km from Acciaroli, the home of some of Italy’s healthiest and longest lived people.However, the rosemary can be sourced from all over the world. We use a syndicate of over 200 Fair Trade Farmers, and only fresh rosemary is extracted. We enlist the help of the world’s leading botanical scientists to ensure that every compound is pulled from the sprig and infused with the water to ensure the best possible benefits.It is tasty, looks good and is bottled for the highest standards within world-class installations.”

Always with you

The No.1 Rosemary Water line comes in the following sizes and versions:

STILL
Still 750ml (box of 6)
Still 330ml (box of 12)
Still Tetra 330ml (box of 12)

SPARKLING
Sparkling 750ml (box of 6)
Sparkling 330ml (box of 12)

SHOT
7 Day Shot Pack (daily shots of pure rosemary extract made with fresh rosemary from Campania, Italy. Inspired by the rosemary chewing healthy 100 years old of Acciaroli).

All the items contain fresh rosemary extract and spring water ph7.5; no colours, preservatives or allergens and – best of all – zero sugar.
The price ranges from £ 20.70 (box of 6) to £ 29.40 (box of 12).

Helping a good cause

Besides bringing numerous benefits to those who drink it, No.1 Rosemary Water also brings indirect benefits to Alzheimer’s Research UK, as every bottle sold represents also a donation to that institution.

Alzheimer’s Research UK is the United Kingdom’s leading dementia research charity, founded in 1992 as the Alzheimer’s Research Trust. In February 2011 Alzheimer’s Research Trust renamed as the Alzheimer’s Research UK.

Their mission is to bring about the first life-changing dementia treatment by 2025. In order to achieve this, they split their line of work into four key areas.

Understand
We fund world-class researchers to unravel the science behind the complex diseases that cause dementia.

Diagnose
We work at the forefront of technology to ensure an accurate diagnosis for everyone at a time that’s right for them. Through, Sea Hero Quest, our citizen science game developed with Deutsche Telekom we collect data about how people navigate to inform future diagnostics for Alzheimer’s.

Reduce risk

To accelerate the science of dementia risk and empower people to make informed decisions about how they live their lives, we have funded the through our The Mike Gooley Trailfinders Charity Prevention and Risk Reduction Fund. We are also investigating risk factors throughout life through our Insight 46 project.

Treat

We must build on 100 years of scientific discoveries to translate breakthroughs in the lab into life-changing treatments.
To do this we have invested in the Alzheimer’s Research UK Drug Discovery Alliance and Dementia Consortium. Our Clinical Trials Fund, is set up to support clinical trials across the world, including a trial in Oxford.

With all those benefits, the No1. Rosemary Water line of drinks is a must-have for those seeking health and well-being, all aligned with the amazing Mediterranean flavours.

Henry announced his partnership with the brand via Instagram, and Kal is apparently quite happy with that choice.

Cavill’s manager, Dany Garcia, also commented on the partnership on her Instagram account: